Each of the last two days, at the same stoplight on Commonwealth Ave here in Boston, I've had this experience... Seeing the light turn red a block or two ahead of me, I release the accelerator and begin gliding and braking, hoping to time the light so that I can just roll through without having to come to a complete stop. Once I've slowed down to 15-20 mph, the driver behind me blows his horn, slams on the gas in frustration, and swerves around me in the other lane... just in time to look up and see the red light and screech to a halt. Yesterday it was a taxi driver talking on a cell phone. When I gently rolled up next to him I pointed to the light (now turning green) and smiled and he just shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment. Today it was a guy in a pick-up truck. Unfortunately I didn't get to see his reaction but I hope he felt like an idiot too. It's actually scary how shortsighted some people are when they are driving. And I bet these are the same guys I hear everyday complaining about gas prices. Meanwhile I'm getting a little over 58 mpg on this tank. Tim
I'm actually starting to see the opposite. (key word, "starting") Instead of almost all cars behaving that way, I see about a half dozen cars who allow me to coast, maintain their distance, and "ride the light" with me.
2 or 3 lights east of Packard's Corner... near BU West. I haven't seen that too much yet. When I see somebody who is tagging along behind me it's always because they are on the cell-phone and don't realize how slow they are going. Once they take notice (5 mph under the speed limit! ), they change lanes and speed off. If only they knew that just following along behind me could probably double their usual fuel economy... Tim
Okay, how long have you been driving in Boston? This is totally par for the course, not only here but in many cities. Bostonians are just a little more directedly vindictive about it sometimes, as opposed to just being completely clueless. But self-importance rules the knuckledragger mind, whatever city they live in. . This is why I'm taking several steps to make it really clear, but I'm still sort of at my wits' end how to gracefully get people off my butt. . _H*
I drove in Boston once 15 years ago. Saw some guy go straight for the "barriers" and later realized they were only plastic and could be run over. Hmmm. I've driven across 42 states and 7 provinces and I'd never seen driving like that before, except NYC. Just part of the local culture, like everywhere, whatever that culture might be... Of course driving in Mexico and MANY other foreign countries can be pretty "fun" too.
timwalsh - wasn't it clearly stated once that the prius owners are intelligent and reflect intelligent driving habits?? cheers. keep up the gas saving techniques. i'm trying to learn all of these gas saving techniques now. my prius has actually slowed me down and forced me to think and drive with foresight instead of being a gas hogging, speed driving moron.
fyi if you are going 40 mph+ windshield wiper fluid will fly backwards onto a tailgaters windshield and make them realize just how close they are. increasing speed and decreasing distance between cars maximizes this technique
Speaking of good sections of road in the Boston area, I highly recommend taking Route 9 East from Natick into Boston. I drove this for the 2nd time today and it is a textbook stretch of road for practicing/learning hypermiling techniques... 50 mph speed limit, rolling hills, a few stoplights, and you can often see for a couple miles up ahead. I just graduated from college so I've been in the city for 4 years but I've only started to notice this kind of stuff since I got my Prius last month (my first car ) and have been driving around everyday. As a pedestrian I've always known that Boston drivers are aggressive, but now I see it as being economically wasteful too. Tim
Actually, the best is when someone in a huge truck guns it to get past me just to wait at the red light, and I manage to time the light just right to drive past him (it is almost always a guy) as he floors the accelerator to get 3 tons of vehicle back up to speed. Then it repeats at the next stoplight.
As soon as I saw Comm Ave in the first post I thought, oh yeah, no one's gonna like the little Prius coasting up to the stoplights! Ahh, Comm Ave....definitely a fun place to watch some really interesting driving antics. My favorite is when people cross the T tracks when there is a train coming, block the tracks, and the T driver will inch the train up to within a foot of the car and then honk the horn at them. That'll wake you up.....
it doesnt matter where you are, if you are within earshot of that t horn it will startle you gotta get me one of those for my prius
Yeah, well some folks are just slow learners.... It still yanks my chain that folks accelorate up to a red light. At least I'm starting to see less of it. Meaning that I'm no longer the only one out there who's hanging back trying to avoid stopping. If I had to characterize the folks who I still see doing this, they're luxury car and big SUV drivers. I'm sure that there are exceptions, but at least from where I stand, it looks like more and more people are starting to "get real" about the way they drive.
It's not just Boston. By substituting oil for knowledge most drivers have a habit of accelerating toward a red light and braking at the last minute. Having a Prius glide (and regenerate) is a foreign concept to 99% of drivers. Stopping at a stoplight and not idling is another foreign concept. Road rage is rampant because drivers continue to substitute oil for knowledge rather than applying the knowledge (as with Prii). Model what you teach and we all come out ahead.